GARGOYLES, chapter 3

Chapter III



                   As he enters his apartment, all he can think about is the blood on his hat and coat.  But soon he realizes just how tired he is.  He sits down on his couch and turns on the TV.  He decides to write the events of the last few days down so that he will have a permanent record.  He goes to the bedroom to retrieve a small notebook he has.  Back in the living room he sits back on the couch and starts to write.  “Better to write it all down now so that I do not forget anything later.  This is probably a waste of time but what the hell?”  After he finishes he puts the notebook and pen down on the table and turns back to the TV.  Not really watching he flips through the stations finally settling on a news station.  “Maybe I’ll see something that will explain what happened or give me an idea on what to do next.”  He starts to think about the last few days but soon fatigue gets the better of him and he falls asleep. 
                   He is suddenly awakened by the sound of someone banging on his door.  He jumps up not realizing at first that it is the front door.  When he does he rushes to the door to see who it is.  When he gets to the door he glances at his wristwatch and sees that it is 4:30 in the afternoon.  “Oh shit, I slept the whole day away.”  He wipes the sleep from his eyes and notices that he is wearing the same clothes he wore on Saturday. 
                   “Who’s there?”
                   “Uh, you don’t know me, but my name is Tom O’Neil.  I know Penny Marsch from Snowy White Cleaners.”
                   Scott opens the door, “How can I help you?”
                   “Maybe we can help each other, can I come in?”
                   “I don’t even know who you are.  I don’t usually let strangers in.”
                   “Let me introduce myself then,” replies Tom as he hands Scott a business card.  “My name is Thomas O’Neil.  I am a journalist and sometime writer.  You know my fiancée, Penny Marsch, you know her through her employment at the Snowy White Cleaners.  I was at her house yesterday and she told me about the blood on your hat and coat.  I thought there might be a story in it.  I thought you might answer some questions for me.  So here I am at your door.  May I come in now? ” 
                   Scott steps aside and lets Tom into the hallway.  He closes the door behind him and leads Tom into the living room.  When they reach the living room Scott offers Tom a seat on the couch.  He settles himself into a chair directly across from Tom.
                   “Umm, well my name is Scott as you already know.  I was gonna make something to eat, can I get you something?  Some coffee? A cold drink?”
                   “Nothing to eat, thanks, but I will take a cup of coffee if it’s not too much trouble.”
                   Scott is not sure why he let him in, maybe he just needed someone to talk to.  Scott gets up and goes into the kitchen to make the coffee.  While Scott is in the kitchen Tom takes a look around the living room.  ‘Must be a single guy, this place looks as messy as mine,’ he laughs.           
                   A few minutes later Scott comes back into the room carrying a pot of coffee and two mugs.  Tucked under his arm is a container of milk and a box of chocolate chip cookies.  He pours them both a cup of coffee, drops the cookies on the coffee table and settles back into his chair, they start to talk. 
                   Being a writer and having done many interviews in his career, Tom knows how to make people comfortable.  Soon he has Scott telling him all about himself.  He comes to the conclusion that Scott is not some lunatic, and that maybe, just maybe there is something to his story. 
                   ‘Maybe this is the lead I have been looking for,’ thinks Tom. 
                   Tom starts to tell Scott a little about his life.  “You know Scott I grew up not far from here.  Just on the other side of Ralph Avenue.  Canarsie was my home until I went away to college.  I even attended South Shore High School just a few blocks away from here.”
                   “Really, that’s where I went.  What year did you graduate?”
                   “1974”
                   “That’s 15 years before me, hah!” 
                   After awhile Tom turns the conversation to last Friday morning.  Scott proceeds to run through the morning from the time he left his house to the point where he entered the elevator and saw his friend Dom. 
                   Tom listens very intently and then says, “I believe your story I think we should stake out the building tonight.  We may find out a few things or maybe even be able to get to the bottom of this.  This could be an interesting adventure.  You up for it?”
                   At first Scott argues against it.
                   “I was there last night and I didn’t see anything.  I didn’t hear anything.  It is a waste of time it was RED PAINT not BLOOD!  Some workmen must have left some paint on the roof.  The winds were blowing hard and tipped them over.  That’s it and nothing else.  Red Paint not Blood!”  Scott was very agitated at this point and began to raise his voice.  “Beside I have to go to work tomorrow.  I cannot be up all night.  I am not going!”
                   Eventually a very calm and persuasive Tom convinces Scott to go. 
                   “Scott, calm down.  No need to get crazy, I look at it as an adventure.  This is something different from our regular humdrum lives.  If you don’t want to come, it’s OK.  I just thought you would want to know the truth, that’s all.  I’ll go and take a look myself, just tell me exactly where it happened.  If I find anything I will let you know.”
                   “You know what, I will go’ offered a much calmer Scott, ‘and I do want to know the truth.  If I don’t find out, it will bother me.  I guess I need to know.  When are we going?”
                    They decide that Tom will go home to pick up a few things and then come back and pick up Scott at 10:30 that evening.
                   After Tom leaves Scott wonders what the hell he is getting himself into.  He decides to go out for a walk to clear his head and have an early dinner.  A couple of slices of pizza with everything on it and an ice cold coke was sounding real good.  Then he would return home and wait for Tom to show up.
                   As he puts on his jacket he wonders again if he is doing the right thing.  “Maybe I should go to the police?”